2016: A Year in Review

I strongly believe that some years are marked with big changes while other years are marked by transitions leading to big changes. 2015 ended and I felt lost. I had had major changes in my life that I didn’t know what to do with; I was trying to change the path I was on with no idea where I was going. So when 2016 originally started I knew I had to keep up with those changes and start steering myself in the right direction, but I had no clue what to do. Major things happened that decided a little for me. Not to get in too many details but 2016 started with a major heartbreak which as cliché as it sounds turned into me falling in love with my life.

I’ve had set backs throughout the year but I believe my biggest accomplishment has been to start traveling and to stop apologizing for things that I want to do but never have the courage to and just do them. For example this blog; I’ve wanted to start something for years but never did and this year I bought a professional camera, which I’ve wanted to since forever and I made the big jump. So overall, I guess it started as what I thought would be one of my worst year to date, and it ended up being the best.

This wouldn’t be a New Year post without a mention of resolutions for 2017

This year I’ve come to realize that the only thing that I really have to do is be happy. Now bear with me, what I mean is, for the last few years, like many people in their 20s I’m sure, I’ve struggled with knowing what I want to do, what I should be doing, and what is the right way to go about it. I’ve been fed the idea that I should now be, you know, graduating from some type of higher level education and finding a “real job”, and I think the major setbacks I’ve had in the past few years have been caused with trying to fit into this mold and by that ignoring what I really enjoy doing because it doesn’t follow a structured path… So with everything that comes my way my new moto is to “just go for it”.

Another resolution is definitely to work more on my blog and travel some more. I am planning a big trip for the summer which I am so so excited about!! Although, it being a bigger trip it also means I probably won’t be able to travel anywhere really until then especially since I’ve been having unexpected expenses lately it’s still amazing to me I get to even do one big trip.

New Years resolution aside my lens had a holiday accident so this will definitely slow me down in terms of working on my blog until it gets fixed. I have been working on a post about Banff, Alberta so don’t worry this will be coming up soon enough, and hopefully then I’ll have a new camera lens and will go right back into photography and working up new ideas for this blog. I also intend on starting to post more ootd so I’m excited.

On this note thank you for those of you who have been reading my blog! I am so very grateful for this. Happy New Year!!!

I spent a little part of the summer on friend’s boats and it reminded me of when I was a kid and I would spend the summers by the lake on my father’s boat.

I explored Toronto’s surrounding and spent a day at Decew Falls in Saint-Catharines. This year I really want to explore some more places in Ontario…

I went to visit my family in Quebec City more in 2016 than in the last 5 years combine and it’s been really nice to be able to get the extra time with them.

I set out on my first travel where I started my journey in Vancouver to see some friends I put my feet in the ocean for the first time and I went cliff jumping in Lynn Canyon.

For the second part of my very first trip I went to Banff, Alberta. I explored, I hiked, I met new people, made new friends and challenged my comfort zone to a new high

I had my first photo shoots, one was just for my portfolio and the other for VisualMood swimwear.

Finally I finished the year with a second trip. I went to Mexico where I explored Mayan ruins, cenote, swam with turtles and spent days at the beach with my feet in the warm blue ocean water.